Statement of his Eminence the Sheikh Akl the Sheikh Naim Hassan regarding civil marriage during his meeting with the Head of the Religious Committee and a delegation from the Religious Body at the Confessional Council, on February 27, 2013

During his reception for the Head of the Religious Committee and a number of persons from the Religious Body at the Confessional Council of the Druze Unitarian Community, his Eminence the Sheikh Akl of the Druze Unitarian Community the Sheikh Naim Hassan issued the following statement:

The topic of civil marriage is being arisen again in Lebanon in a way that gives the image of a conflict between the fanatic positions on one hand and the leaders defending the civil community’s freedom on the other hand.

Knowing that the fatality of change represents a quality that is inseparable from populations, however, any progress would be acceptable within the limits of the Islamic Law. As for our Unitarian Community, we should never forget the importance of preserving our traditional heritage and protect our sons from the distraction from the noble traditions that our ancestors have adopted, but we should urge them to get more attached to their land and original traditions that are deep-rooted in the core of the fertile land.

The stability and rightness of the family as well as its foundation on the appropriate rules, plan for a safe, developed and stable society. One of these rules resides in organizing the marriage according to what God his Almighty has legislated by the eternal celestial messages. Marriage contract is one of the noblest and highest contracts. It should always be privileged above the other contracts. The concept of marriage that is far away from spiritual blessing will lead by reason of its constituent logic to the legislation of laws that are incompatible with the same ordinary marriage as legislated by the celestial books.

From our position and responsibility and pursuant to the principles stipulated in the Constitution including the respect of civil status regulations, we find it suitable to provide our sons with the advices consisting in the fact that marriage prepares for the ethical essence that founds a family and thus society, emphasizing the necessity of making this step a blessed and noble one, starting from the spiritual blessing of marriage and hoping to get to the highest end which is childbearing and education, and all are achieved by familial cohesion, ethical customs and social fundamentals.

For all the above and based on the fact that marriage is one of the Creator’s secrets in His creation affairs, we object to civil marriage and we consider that eliminating political fanaticism and placing it in the frame of practical implementation would be only achieved by the constitution of the National Body to eliminate it without relating it to any topic. This is the true entry to a State where equality reigns between its sons.